Superheater boiler



Jan. 14, 1930. R. L. SPENCER 1,743,165

. SUPERHEATER BOILER Filed Feb. 14, 1927 5 Sheets-Shee 1 INVENTOR EOAer? 1;. 6

A'ITORNEYS Jan. 14,. I93. R. L. SPENCER 1,743,165

Filed Feb. 14. 1927 -5 Sheets-Sheet 2 |NVENTOR Eo'erf .L. Spencer ATTORNEYS Jan. 14, 1930. SPENCER 1,743,165

SUPERHEATER BOILER Filed Feb. 14, 1.927 s Sheets-Sheet 5 o d F u c;

FNVENTOR Jam 164,1930.

' R. L. SPENCER; 7 1,743,165

SUPERHEATER BOILER 5 Sheets-Shea? 4 Filed Feb. 14. 1927 4 1936- R. L,-SPENCER 1,743,165

SUPERHEATER BOILER I Filed Feb. 14, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet .5 k

INVENTOR Babe/7 L. 5 oencer ATTORNEYS Patented Jan. 14, 1939' UNITED TATES PATENT FFICE ROBERT L. SPENCER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO HEINE BOILER COMPANY,

- OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI SUPERHEATER BOILER Application filed February 14, 1927. Serial No. 168,195.

This invention relates to superheater boilers of the type that comprises a plurality of banks of upright water tubes arranged one behind the other, and a superheater composed of superheater elements that are arranged in lanes formed by the spaces between the longitudinal rows of tubes of one tube bank of the boiler.

The main object of my invention is to provide a superheater boiler that has the following desirable characteristics which make it superior to the superheater boilers of this general class that are now in use:

1st. A more uniform distribution of the gases over the superheater elements;

2nd. A tendency towards a more uniform superheat with various loads;

3rd. A more eflic-ient distribution of the gases over the water tubes of the tube bank in which the superheater is arranged;

4th. No objectionable constricted gas areas in the tube bank, due to the location of the superheater elements between the water tubes;

5th. A superheater whose area of heating surface can be increased without danger of producing constricted gas areas in the tube bank; and

6th. A superheater whose elements need not necessarily be arranged in symmetrical relation with the water tubes of the bank in which the superheater is positioned.

To this end I have devised a boiler that comprises banks of upright water tubes arranged one behind the other at the rear of the combustion chamber of the boiler, and a superheater comprising superheater elements arranged wholly or partly within one tube bank and disposed at an angle to the tubes constituting said bank. When my invention is embodied in a boiler of the serial pass type in which the gases flow over the tube banks successively in traveling from the combustion chamber of the boiler to the smoke outlet, it is preferable to arrange the superheater in the first tube bank and dispose the superheater elements at such an angle to the water tubes of said bank that the lower portions of said superheater elements are withdrawn from the influence of the hottest fire in the combustion chamber and the upper portions of said superheater elements are brought closer to the upper portion of the combustion chamber where the gases are cooler. The superheater elements can be of various forms and the inlet and outlet headers or manifolds to which the superheater elements are connected can be arranged in various ways without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of a superheater boiler constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 1 is a similar view of the, boiler shown in Figure 1, illustrating the inlet and outlet headers of the superheater arranged above the roof of the boiler setting.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view, taken on the line 22 of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of a boiler constructed in accordance with my invention and provided with a superheater whose elements are of slightly different construction from the ones used in the boiler shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 illustrates how the outlet header of a superheater of the kind shown in Figure 3 can be arranged above the roof of the I boiler setting.

Figure 4c is a vertical longitudinal section- 1-1 View of a boiler equipped with a superheater whose elements extend downwardly and rearwardly around the lower water drum and are connected to an inlet header located outside of the path of travel of the gases.

Figures 5 and 5 are sectional views, illustrating still other forms of my invention.

Figure 6 is a top plan view of one of the holders that is used to maintain the legs or portions of a superheater element in longitudinal alignment with each other.

Figure 7 is a side elevational view of said holder.

Figure 8 is a rear end view of the holder.

Figure 9 is a front end view of the holder; and v Figure 10 is an elevational view of a superheater designed so that the steam will make a plurality of passes in circulatlng through the superheater.

posed water drum to which the lower ends of the tubes of the various tube banks are connected, and I and J designate water circulators and steam circulators, respectively, that connect the steam-and-watertdrums together. The boiler can be provided with any preferred type or kind of baflles, such, for ex ample, as a baffle K arranged at the rear of the front tube bank A, and a battle L arranged at the rear of the middle tube bank Bin such a manner as to cause the gases to flow upwardly over the tubes of the front bank and then reverse and flow downwardly over the tubes of the middle bank.

The boiler is equipped with a superheater which comprises superheater elements 1 arranged in lanes formed by the spaces between longitudinal rows of tubes of the front bank A, and an inlet header 2 and anoutlet header 3 connected to said superheater elements and arranged transversely of the boiler. As pre viously stated, watertube boilers of this general class have heretoforebeen equipped with superheaters composed of superheater elements arranged in lanes in the front tube bank, but my improved boiler is distinguished from'prior superheater boilers of this general class, in that the superheater elements 1 are disposed at such an angle to the tubes of the front bank A that the lower end portions of said superheater elements are withdrawn from the influence of the hottest tire which is in the lower part of the combustion chamber D, and the upper end portions of said superheater elements are brought closer to' the upper portion ofthe combustion chamber where the gases are cooler. Many advantages result from arranging the superheater elements.

in this manner. For example, the superheater elements are so located with respect to their exposureto the surrounding heat that a more uniform degree of superheat will be attainedwith various boiler loads; the radiant heat will penetrate deeper into the tube bank adjacent the lower ends of the superheater elements, due to the fact that the upper portions of the superheater elements project forwardly into the bank a greater distance than the lower portions of the superheater elements, thus resulting in a relatively higher absorption of heat from the gases by the pertions of the water tubes adjacent the lower end of the bank; and the gases will have a relatively freer flow through the lower portion of the front tube bank than through the upper portion of the tube bank, due to the angle at which the superheater elements are disposed with relation to the water tubes, thereby causing a more eflicient distribution of the gases within the entire first gas pass of the boiler and a consequent better heat absorption. Owing to the fact that the superheater elements are arranged in close proximity to the water tubes only at the points where said elements cross said tubes, the presence of the superheater elements in the lanes in the front tube bank will not produce constricted gas areas in said bank. Consequently, the area of the heating surface of the superheater can be increased by arranging a plurality of superheater elements in parallel relation in a single lane, as shown in Figure 2, a thing that is not possible in a boiler of the kind in which the superheater elements in the front tube bank extend parallel to' the water tubes, because two of such superheater elements in a single lane would produce a constricted gas area. Moreover, as it is not necessary to have the superheater elements arranged insymmetrical relation with the boiler tubes,'considerable leeway is provided for spacing the water tubes, and warping of the superheater elements does not interfere with the circulation of the gases through the front tube bank.

In the boiler shown in Figure-1 each superheater element 1 is formed from a piece of tubing bent to form a number of loops, legs, or passes, connected in series and arranged in the same vertical plane, one behind the other. Any desired number of superheater elements 1 may be used to constitute the superheater, the superheater elements may be of any preferred shape, and either one or a plurality of superheater elements may be arranged in a lane between adjacent longitudinal rows of tubes of the front bank. The essential thing is that the superheater elements 1 be arranged between adjacent longitudinal rows of Water tubes of the front bank, and disposed at such an angle to said water tubes that the lower portions of the superheater elementsare withdrawn from the influence of the hottest fire while the upper portions of the superheater elements are brought closer to the portion of the combustion chamber where the gases are cooler. I

In'the boiler shown in Figure 1 the inlet header 2 of the superheater is arranged transversely of the boiler in the space behind the ballie K at a point above the lower ends of the superheater elements, and the outlet header 3 is arranged transversely of the boiler in the space above the water circulators I between the front and middle steam-andwater drums. When the inlet and outlet headers are arranged in this manner, the headers, as well as the superheater elements 1, become effective for absorbing heat from the gases circulating through the boiler.

Still another advantage of such a construction is that the superheater elements 1, which are relatively short, can be disconnected from the headers 2 and Sand withdrawn from the boiler through a door opening in the front wall of the boiler setting without removing or disturbing the battle K at the rear of the front tube bank, or the tile M that are arranged over the water circulators between the front and middle steam-and-water drums, said door opening being normally closed by a door N. If desired, however, the inlet and outlet headers 2 and 3 of the superheater can be arranged on the outside of the boiler setting, as, for'example, above the roof 0 of the setting, as shown in Figure 1*.

In Figure 3 I have illustrated'the superheater as being composed of tubes 1", straight for the major port-ion of their length, and provided at their ends with curved portions that are connected to transverselydisposed inlet and outlet headers 2 and 3, respectively, the inlet header 2 being arranged at the lower ends of the superheater elements inthe space behind the battle K, and the outlet header 3" being arranged at the upper ends of the superheater elements in the space above the water circulators that connect the front and middle steam-and-water drums. Due to the fact that the inletheader is arranged at the extreme lower end of the superheater, the superheater elements'can be drained through the header 2. In such a superheater the longitudinally-aligned superheater elements 1 which are located in the same lane are connected in multiple by the headers to which said elements are attached, and if the headers are not provided with transverse partitions, the steam will make a single pass in traveling through the superheater. If desired, however, transverse partitions 30 can be arranged in the headers, as shown in broken lines in Figure 10, so as to cause the steam to travel longitudinally in one direction through one or more groups of superheater elements 1f, and then reverse and flow in the opposite d1: rection through another group or groups of superheater elements, thereby making a pluy,

rality of passes in traveling through the superheater. Figure 3 illustrates a structure somewhat similar to that in Figure 3, except that the superheater elements 1 have upwardly-projecting portions which are connected at their upper ends to an outlet header 3 arranged on the outside of the boiler setting.

In the form of my invention shown in Figure 4 the superheater elements 1 are made long enough so as to project downwardly and rearwardly through the lower end portions of the middle tube bank and-rear tube bank, and the lower ends of said superheater elements are connected to an inlet header 2 which is arranged at the rear of the water drum H.

In Figures 5 and 5 of the drawings I have illustrated my invention embodied in a boiler in which each superheater element is composed of two tubes 1 arranged in the same vertical plane, one behind the other, and bent so as to form loops that constitute a plurality of passes which are connected in multiple by the inlet and outlet headers :2 and 3, respectively, to which the ends of said tubes 1 are attached. The inlet header 2 can be arranged above the lower end of the superheater-in the space behind the bafiie K, and the outlet header 3 can be arranged in the space above the water circulators between the front and middle steam-and-water drums, as shown in Figure 5, or the inlet and outlet headers 2 and 3 of the superheatencan be arranged in the space above the water circulators between the front and middle steam-and-water drums, as shown in Figure 5 Due to the fact that the superheater ments comprise loops or'portions that are apt to warp and which are capable of flexing relatively to each other, due to the expansion and contraction of the tubular members from which said elements are constructed, it is preferable to provide guides or hold.- ers for the superheater elements that maintain the loops or portions of each superheater element in longitudinal alignment with each other without interfering with the relative said loops produced by expansion and contraction of the elements. One type of guide or holder that I have found to be satisfactory is composed of two members P arranged at opposite sides of the loops or portions of a superheater element, as shown in Figures 6, 7 8 and 9, and provided on their inner sides with co-operating portions that form guideways through which the legs or portions of the superheater elements pass. Preferably, the members P are provided with abutting portions 4 that form guideways for some of the legs or portions of the superheater'elements and interlocking, hook-shaped portions 5 that form guideways for the other legs or portions of the superheater elements and also prevent the members Pfrom separating, or pulling apart laterally. The members P are detachably connected together by bolts 6 and 7 that pass transversely through aligned holes in the ends of said members, and said members are provided at one end with opposed, concaved portions 8 that are adapted to be drawn into snug engagement with one leg or portion of the superheater element with which said members co-operate by tightening the end bolt 6, as shown in Figure 7, thereby causing the members P to be mounted on one leg or portion of the superheater element and held in such a position that it will serve as a guide which holds the other legs or portions of the superheater element in longitudinal alignment with each other and tends to preelelongitudinal movement of arily in any preferred manner in or adjacent to the tube bank, said depending portion 9 having a hole 11 in which a bolt can be arranged so as to fasten the guide to the supporting device 10 which carries the same. A mounting or holding means of the construction above described can be combined with the superheater elements easily, it holds the superheater elements in proper position, and prevents them" from warping out of shape without interfering with the expansion and contraction of said superheater elements, and it permits the superheater elements to be removed easily from'the tube bank by disconnecting said elements from their headers, then disconnecting the holders from the supporting devices 10 and then moving the superheater elements, together with their holders, forwardly through the door opening in the front wall of the boiler setting.

' Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A superheater boiler provided with a bank of upright water tubes arranged so as to form longitudinal lanes, and superheater elements in said lanes arranged in close proximity to the combustion chamber, and dis posed throughout substantially their entire length at an angle to the water tub-"s, thereby preventing said superheater elements from rodueing constricted gas areas in the tube wank. I

2. A boiler of the kind described in claim -1, comprising headers or manifolds conheader.

'arrangcdone behind the other at the rear of the combustion chamber, the front tube bank having lanes, and superheater elements having substantially straight portions in said lanes, disposed throughout substantially their entire" length at an angle to the water tubes and arranged so that the upper portions of said elements project forwardly into thetube bank a greater'distanee than the lower portions of said elements.

5. A superheater boiler provided with a front bank of upright water tubes arranged at the rear of thecornbustion chamber of the boiler, lanes in said tube bank accessible from the combustion chamber, and superheater elements having substantially straight portions in said lanes disposed throughout their entire length at an angle to the water tubes, thereby causing the lower portions of said superheater elements to be withdrawn from the influence of the hottest fire and the upper portions of said superheater elements to be brought closer to a zone of the combustion chamber where the gases are cooler, without producing constricted areas in the tube bank.

6. A boiler of the kind described in elann 5, comprising top and bottom headers connected to'the superheater elementsand arranged so that the bottom header is located below the lower ends of the superheater elements, thereby permitting'the superheater elements to be drained through said bottom header.

7. A superheater boiler, comprising a bank of upright water tubes arranged at the rear of the combustion chamber and provided with. -longitudinally-disposed lanes, and superheater elements disposed in said lanes in such a manner as to tend to crowd the'upwardly circulating gases forwardly towards the combustion chamber without producing constricted areas in the tube bank.

ROBERT L. SPENCER. 

